


Do Not Underestimate Us

by Katie_Madison



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/F, F/M, I KNOW THE PAIRINGS ARE WILD BUT TRUST ME, I am shaking in excitement to continue writing this story, In My Shounen Manga?, It's more likely than you think!, M/M, Plot Twists, Re-Write!, Team Re-Organization, Team as Family, feminism?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-01
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2019-08-14 12:27:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16492592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katie_Madison/pseuds/Katie_Madison
Summary: Ino raises a very interesting question on the day that the genin teams are announced;"Why are there always two boys and only one girl on every squad?"//(Alternatively, what might have happened if Kishimoto-sensei knew how to write convincing female characters ♡)





	1. Hell Hath No Fury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first effort at a Naruto re-write; so I'm hoping that it will have a healthy mix of humor, adventure, romance, and commentary on ninja life! 
> 
> However, since things change radically in the beginning, it will create completely different story-lines, instead of going through the canon arcs. Especially with the ships I've planned, I'm going to have to really shake things up to make it all work out ~ 
> 
> Please Enjoy!

To be honest, Ino Yamanaka was not the type of girl to put up with other people's bullshit for any reason, whatsoever. She had scored the top marks of her graduating class; with good looks, popularity, personality, confidence, a strong set of morals, and analytical ability like no other.

After all, there was a damn good reason why her father thought that she had the potential to be the strongest and most capable Yamanaka clan leader in history. 

So really, it should have been no surprise to the newest batch of freshly-minted ninja that she had a problem with the new four-man squads that Iruka-sensei had assigned them to;  _and_ that she would say something about it.

"Iruka-sensei, if I may, I have some concerns I'd like attended to," Ino called, rising from her seat with a determined look on her face.

Shikamaru threw his head onto the desk in front of him and sighed. Now, he wished he had scored better marks during school so he would not have been placed with this girl who was always so  _extra..._ She was literally the type of student to remind teachers to collect homework assignments.

On Fridays.

Choji munched on his food a bit more quietly than before, wondering what could have angered Ino already. It had been less than three minutes since the groups had been announced...

Most of the other new graduates had on looks of indifference, like Sasuke, or concealed interest, like Hinata - with the main out liar being Sakura.

The pink haired girl had gritted her teeth, and was growling lowly in her throat. Was that Ino-pig trying to put herself on the team with Sasuke instead? No way, Sakura just could not let that happen! If it did, then she would have to speak up - for the sake of her and Sasuke's eternal love!

Iruka just sighed.

He had been going over these group lists for the entirety of last week, _and_ all through last night with the Hokage and the teaching jounin. He was sick of staring at the same names in various different orders.

Nonetheless, he smiled brightly, (if not a bit tiredly) and nodded for her to continue.

"Thank you. Sensei, don't you notice a pattern in each group?" she asked accusingly, green-blue eyes scanning each table to indicate she had, in fact, checked each table.

"Yes, Ino, the mark average of your group should be about the same; so, most groups contain one exceptional student, one average, and one lacking..." replied Iruka slowly, not bothering to look at the groups he had memorized to confirm that this was true.

However it was slightly strange that he had to say this at all; he had expected the ever-observant girl to figure that out independently. Also, he himself had just mentioned it for everyone else at Naruto's outburst...

"Yes sir, you're right. However, there is something  _else!"_ Ino insisted, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Iruka sighed again, "Alright then, what is it, Ino?"

She cleared her throat, and rolled her shoulders back. "Each and every team contains precisely two boys and one girl!" she exclaimed.

Iruka frowned a bit; not seeing anything out of the ordinary. "Yes, they do... What is your point?"

"Well, isn't that _sexist_?"

The classroom became very quiet as all the children tried to understand such a mature word and concept.

Then, the adult in the room decided it was time to speak up and clarify their young minds with his eloquent and thoughtful response.

"...Huh?"

* * *

Ino glanced around the room, looking for anyone who might help her explain herself. However, after a minute of finding no one - although Hinata Hyuuga was totally staring right at her - she sighed, and tried to formulate a simple explanation.

"Essentially, sexism is the prejudices or injustices society inflicts upon those of a certain gender; particularly females," she clarified.

Unfortunately, that elicited not much more of a response; and everyone became oddly aware of the low sounds Shino's bugs made in the deathly silent room, buzzing as they flew around him...

Cursing the fact that she was in a room full of twelve year olds who probably spent all their time eating and playing instead of reading feminist books, Ino sighed and flicked her hair over her shoulder. She might as well try to explain her complete thought process regarding the matter in question.

"I know for a fact, sensei," she started, "That this year, the girls' average on all of the midterm examinations was very high; consistently around eighty eight percent, while the boys' average only hovered around seventy four... However, since there are  _twice_  as many boys in this room as there are girls, it means that some of the girls who scored higher than some of the boys here; - meaning that girls who knew more ninjutsu, were stronger at genjutsu, had more chakra control, and were more adept at taijutsu - were not even _considered_ to take this term's transformation and clone tests!"

(Here she paused for some well-timed dramatic effect.)

"Those girls were made to wait another semester so that there would be a higher concentration of eligible boys in the graduating class! But why is that? Do the senseis believe that if there were to be _two_ girls on each team, or daresay a _full_  girl's team, that they would not be able to manage? That they would be too weak and delicate to properly complete missions?"

* * *

When she finished her speech, everyone in the class had their eyes trained on her and their brains working in overdrive. Could what the blonde be saying actually be true? And if that was the case, then the organized teams were in fact, 'sexist' and nobody had ever realized.

The kids looked at one another and found that Ino was right; several competent female candidates were absent, not because they had failed the test, but because they were not invited to take it in the first place...

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Ino, or whatever her name was, was right. He had only every heard of genin groups containing one girl and two boys; never any other combination. He closed his eyes and tried to think of any exceptions, but came up blank; both his parents, his traitor of a brother, all of his cousins, aunts and uncles had only ever mentioned teams of 2:1.

Naruto clutched his head and groaned softly, completely confused. Before today, he had never thought so much about 'discrimination,' 'oppression,' or whatever the heck else Ino was talking about!

Iruka awkwardly coughed. "Well, Ino, I'm not sure what to say to that... But I can promise you that... degrading women was not something we tried to do with these groupings," he mumbled, searching through his clipboard for something more he could say to her.

"That does not mean it is any less _true_ ," she pointed out proudly.

Ino smiled to herself. (If she were not such a talented ninja, she would have been a fantastic civilian lawyer. Maybe in another alternate reality.)

Iruka sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was not really upset with the female class topper, just frustrated that her point was legitimate enough to be brought up in front of the Hokage and the jounin. Then, they would all argue over it for another three days...

"Iruka-sensei, these children should be with their teachers by now!" called the Third Hokage, abruptly rounding the door into their classroom. With a pull from his ever-present pipe, he continued, "I just walked past the  _very_  disturbing image of Kakashi giggling because he was less late then everyone else for once! What is the meaning of this?"

Iruka felt his shoulders droop in resignation, "Hokage-sama, there seems to be a problem..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this, consider leaving a kudos, bookmark, or your lovely thoughts about this prologue ~
> 
> I have big ideas for the future and would appreciate all of your feedback as we try and give these characters the development that they deserve!
> 
> Take Care! ♡


	2. Hinata's Conviction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> お誕生日おめでとう,日向！Happy Birthday, Hinata!
> 
> In this chapter, I got into Hinata's head a little bit more, so that was really fulfilling and challenging :) I hope that you'll be able to enjoy and appreciate my characterizations, even if they significantly depart from Kishimoto's! 
> 
> (But isn't that the joy of fanfiction?)

Once Ino finished re-explaining her thoughts to the Third Hokage, he pulled a long, considering drag from his pipe and thought hard.

Dating back from when Sarutobi’sownfather was a genin, ninja teams had always consisted of two boys and one girl; accompanied by a jounin or chunin.

It was an unquestioned practice.

However, in the past, the number of women who were permitted to seriously hone their chakra-harnessing capabilities, in the hopes of becoming elite kunoichi, was substantially lower. Kunoichi were only tolerated to work as ninja until they were married; when it was expected that they would become housewives to their more proficient ninja husbands. At best, teaching the most basic skills to their kids.

As the years rolled along, however, and female ninja were acknowledged to be just as tactical and powerful as their male counterparts, nobody had thought to change the genin ratio and accept more girls in to the graduating classes to reflect that ideological development.

When Sarutobi looked up, he was met with Yamanaka Ino’s determined gaze. She startled slightly at making direct eye contact with the Hokage, and bowed low in respect; but then, she looked right back at him - teal eyes set and unwavering. She seemed to believe in her conclusions enough that she wasn’t backing down; not even in deference to her Hokage.

The way that Ino had made her observations (publicly, accusingly and  _very_ convincingly) invited no room for argument; lest they were based in misogynistic rhetoric (that her very existence as valedictorian disproved).

Sarutobi wondered where the young woman had found such confidence.

Was it because she was entitled?

Or because… she knew that she was right?

It made him wonder when was the last time he had felt that kind of gumption;  ~~had last stood straight for his beliefs, instead of quietly bowing down to the elders and engaging in morally dubious actions with even more dubious justifications?~~

Finally, Sarutobi laughed. "Ino, you are absolutely right! Kunoichi  _have_  been treated unfairly. Your journey to become ninjas, thus far, must have been far more difficult than I, or any of the boys here, understand,” he admitted, nodding his head, "Perhaps with our graduation class demographics; we were subliminally  _assuming_  that women should, and would, one day stop being ninja to raise families… Thus, discouraging girls from committing everything they had into pursuing ninja careers!”

Ino looked completely shocked at his wholehearted agreement, which just made Sarutobi laugh even harder.

“Alright, let’s rectify this! Iruka-sensei, go round up that dancing Kakashi and all the other teaching jounin, and meet me in my office to deal with this!"

* * *

The genin began to mumble and whisper among themselves. Some of them were upset about being separated from their friends, while others were hopeful about which of their other friends might be joining them in a new potential team.

Although, realistically, most of them were too young to grasp the magnitude of what Ino had actually been saying.

Hinata Hyuuga, however, had fully understood Ino's points. She had even been wondering the same thing! ~~Unfortunately, she had been too timid to voice her opinions...~~

The short girl sighed in resignation, and slumped forward in her seat; wrapping her arms around her legs, and resting her forehead on her knees. She didn't want to sit around,  _wallowing_ but sometimes she couldn't help it. 

Why didn't  _she_ say anything? 

Why didn't she  _ever_ say anything? 

Even from far before her failed match against her sister, Hanabi, Hinata had been told that she was insufficient; not hardworking enough, not determined enough, and not possessing enough mental resolve to be a kunoichi worthy of inheriting the Hyuuga clan… And if she were being honest with herself, her sister’s fighting spirit _was_ much stronger than hers, and it showed in the determination she approached her training and everything else with...Leaving her behind. 

And Hinata had done nothing to stop it.

Or even before their match, when Hinata had been worried about hurting her younger sister, why hadn't she taken the opportunity to tell her father and the elders that she didn't  _want_ to fight Hanabi in the first place?

She just, never seemed to be able to speak up and voice her convictions when push came to shove!

But… why?

 _Why_ was Hinata so unconfident and passive when she had no reason to be?

She was the first-born of a prestigious clan, had every resource at her disposable, and lacked for nothing. She was so  _privileged_ , and still couldn’t rise to be true to herself and-.

- **Wait a minute**...

Hinata sat up in her seat with a startle.

...

Perhaps the fact that she was privileged was... a part of it?

Hinata was the Hyuuga heiress; the girl with everything handed to her on a plate, while Hanabi was not the birthright heiress - but the younger sister in a clan that had historically _never_ been kind to younger siblings. Maybe that was what gave Hanabi a reason to gain power; to never be looked down on, even if she wasn’t the heir?! Then maybe, Hinata being too delicate and demure was... a product of her lacking... driving motivation? Resolve?

Afterall, Hinata had only ever passively accepted the ideas prescribed on to her by the Hyuuga elders; let them dictate her life without question. Moreover, since she born an heiress with a clear path ahead of her, Hinata had never had any real reason to complain and grow stronger from suffering slights or difficulties.

Even when Neji attacked her for being weak and lacking in her skills - an honestly valid criticism though Hinata didn't want to admit it - her father had rushed to her defense by activating his Caged Bird seal so she would never have to _contend_ with his claims by defending herself. She had always had everything catered specifically to her needs.

And now?

She didn’t know _how_ to stand up for herself. 

After being protected by the Hyuuga elders, she was… _scared_ on her own.

So she hid herself behind a stutter, and never truly said what she wanted to say. That way, the worst that people would think of her was that she was shyand demure _–_ but she would never have to face rejection based on the value of her own original ideas and contributions. ~~Or earn rightful respect.~~

She felt her nails dig into her palms, and her eyes fill with frustrated tears. Hinata hated her insecurity. She wanted to say what was on her mind and be defined by the value of her words and talent, instead of be written off as a weakling, not worthy of considering in the first place!

And honestly, what was the logical end of her current existence? Maybe a career ending at the chuunin stage; then life as a… _housewife_ , cooking meals for a kid that would never truly respect her, living under the thumb of a husband who valued her obedience?

Hinata tried not to throw up in her own mouth at the thought. She was only twelve, but she was not so young that she didn’t know about the fate of many married wome-,

Women like _her_.

The girl shot up onto her feet; breathing hard. She immediately walked over to the group of girls chatting together and decided that she was going to voice her appreciative thoughts, as confidently as possible, to the girl in the center - Ino Yamanaka; a clan heiress just like her, but also the  _valedictorian_. 

How?

“I wanted t-to c-compliment you for standing u-up for us, It's not f-fair for people to judge kunoichi based on bad assumptions,” Hinata said, embarrassed at her stammering, but pushing through all the same. She could do this!

The Hyuuga heiress felt her confidence ebb a little, as Ino looked at her with bewilderment; but still, she had faith.

And more than that; she had conviction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming with me on this wild journey! I really hope that you like this type of Hinata! I would have really liked to see her come into her own in this way - and since canon didn't give it to me, I had to write it for myself, lol.
> 
> Please consider leaving me a kudos, a bookmark, or your thoughts (even if they are critical), and take care until next time! ♡


	3. (New/Best) Friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you know anything about me, or have read some of my other works (see Who's On Top & What Kurama Learned From Naruto's Haircut) you would know that I usually ship InoSakuIno and genuinely like Sakura when she's with Ino. 
> 
> However, this is an InoHina story... so there HAS to be some kind of criticism of Sakura here in exploring her relationship with Ino, from Ino's perspective, so that she can get over what Sakura did to her. (Because, y'all, Ino was done so so so dirty by Sakura in canon and no normal girl would ever forgive her.)
> 
> Of course, there will be 'redemption' soon (though even the most ardent Sakura fan has to admit that she was pretty unbearable in the beginning) so please stick with me for the promised Shino/Sakura, and BAMF!Sakura~
> 
> I'd be thrilled if you could enjoy : )

Ino was in total shock.

Although, she had eventually stopped gaping like a goldfish out of water, and encouraged Hinata to join the conversation that she and her other friends were having about the new developments; mentally, she felt completely shaken.

Ino gave Hinata an inconspicuous once-over; hoping that the other girl wouldn’t notice how oddly little Ino was currently contributing to the conversation; instead preoccupied with thoughts of how Hinata _really_ resembled Sakura, from when her and Ino’s friendship had just began. The similarities made her confused about what to do, and how to feel…

Naturally, Ino was a friendly and extroverted person whose first instinct was always to help and befriend the people (especially the girls) around her. She found it rewarding to be a part of their journey; to watch them overcome their insecurities, and then grow and bloom into the capable women they were meant to be!

And when Hinata first approached their table, Ino had immediately felt that familiar desire to befriend; to help the Hyuuga girl polish her quiet confidence to be like a beautiful cluster of loyal violets; modest and supportive, but with a core of hardiness and readiness to take the world head-on. The unadulterated intensity of its colour belied its small size and common shape; and spoke to its unique strength!

For all that she had grown up; what the Yamanaka heiress believed at seven, she still believed now. In her heart, it was the most pointless tragedy to witness a flower that had never bloomed or achieved its most magnificent form. Ino felt like it was her duty to ensure that that happened as rarely as possible.

But it wasn’t just a ‘duty,’ it was something she  enjoyed. The feeling of being able to grow alongside her friends, into a uniquely beautiful bouquet of flowers together was like being on the top of the world.

…

Or at least, that’s how she usually felt.

Now?

Ino was wary.

The blonde girl wasn’t sure if she was ready to put her attention and care into painstakingly cultivating another flower - another _person_ \- only for them to turn away and deny her in the end; to have them claim that Ino was not a friend at all, but a rivalrous weed that would steal all of its resources…

It hurt so much because _Sakura_ had been Ino’s most cherished flower before she had walked out of her life; keeping all of the care that Ino had shown her, and the self-esteem she had inspired in her - but handing back the red, velveteen hair ribbon that she had given her all those years ago... It had felt like a slap in the face; like Ino had done something wrong when all she had _wanted_ was to-

 _-_ **Never mind**.

What Ino wanted didn’t matter, did it _?_ Ino had had no say in the matter of Sakura destroying their friendship; claiming that she discovered how the boy she ‘liked,’ Sasuke, was the same one that Ino was after. Sakura hadn’t ever even clarified if Ino truly liked him or not in the first place; instead going off of some other girls’ rumours.

That was honestly the biggest _joke_ about the whole incident because Ino had never liked Sasuke; at least, not beyond ‘liking’ him enough to be concerned about the dark look in his eyes for the past years...

Remembering that evening; when Sakura had called her to the big clearing in the park, made Ino want to hide in a hole and _cry_. Even though she hadn’t cried for her own sadness since she was eight; when she promised her dad that she would never cry selfish tears and show everyone how resolute she, a _girl_ , could be. ~~But she couldn’t help it; her resolve always weakened when it came to Sakura…~~

Inoichi always warned her that if she became clan-head, her own clanspeople would torment her. The Yamanakas disavowed female leaders, believing that they lacked the mental resolve needed to master their psychically-oriented Kekkei Genkai, and so Ino had vowed that she would never show weakness - with one exception; the ability to cry for the people around her.

Because Ino believed that tears shed for others would work to water their roots, and make them stronger through the bonds between them - as befitting a strong teamwork-oriented clan like theirs. Ino thought back to when she cried happy tears on the day that Sakura had first put her hand up in class, walking forward with confidence to show the world her skills!

Ino had been so proud that day!

So happy!

…

_God. She really was pathetic, wasn’t she?_

Because none of that mattered. It was all _over_ when Sakura had declared that the two of them were now rivals over a boy. Her comments blindsided Ino so badly that she had choked on the words that she was normally so good at articulating;

_“What are you talking about? I don’t like Sasuke; I just wish him the best because he looks so... traumatized?”_

(The words were there, but they wouldn’t come out. Why?)

_“And really… there’s no way I could like him anyways, because I like girls, duh!”_

(Her tongue felt so thick in her mouth, acid bubbling up from her throat as she tried to hold the tears back; as Sakura started spouting lies that she had overheard from the same girls that Ino had shot flower stems into the mouths of all those years ago! When did Sakura start believing their lies over Ino’s words?!)

_“Well, I only really like one girl, haha!”_

(The image of Sakura’s retreating back seared into the back of her eyes; the white circle of her dress on a canvas of pink; the pink of her clothes, the pink of her long hair... Oh, how could we forget the long hair?! Ino’s father – her role model, her _idol_ – had had such long hair, and she had only wanted to grow it out to be like him; even though she preferred to keep it short and clipped back with her many beautiful flower accessories; ribbons of every colour and cloth, and flower pins with bush clovers, and cosmos, and lilies, and violets, and daffodils-)

_“And that’s you! I.. like you, Sakura!”_

_(Sakura walked away with the broken-off roots of Ino’s heart, that she had sowed into the ground beside her, believing that they would be together forever.)_

“Ino, are you okay? You’re spacing out right now. I guess the nerves probably got to you, huh? I mean I would have… probably passed out trying to speak directly to the Hokage like that so I don’t blame you,” called one of Ino’s friends, “But Hinata asked you a question!”

“Ahh! Shit, you’re right! Sorry, Mariya! Sorry, Hinata!” Ino replied, faking a little laugh to show that she was fine.

…

Because she was fine.

Really.

Even though memories of that whole experience still troubled Ino, she had come to terms with the fact that most girls wouldn’t throw away their first and only friend; who had been there for them when nobody else was… ~~Instead of declaring a ‘rivalry’ with them over a boy who Ino had never liked because she was gay; and who would never like either of them back anyways, because he was gay too.~~

She suppressed her bitterness.

Ino was ready to have a new best friend, and wanted to make one in the right frame of mind. So, unbeknownst to Hinata (who was nervously wondering if she had somehow offended Ino, because although she was faking it well, she couldn’t entirely mask her troubled look), Ino needed to gather her own courage.

Finally, she smiled; genuinely.

“Can’t pretend that it wasn’t nerve-wracking, but I’m really glad that I spoke up. You miss 100% of the kunai you don’t throw, right?... And honestly, since I saw something that I knew was wrong, and had the power to do something about it - even if only in a small way - I had to do it! If I hadn’t, then I probably wouldn’t have been able to sleep tonight, knowing that I didn’t do my best to, you know, act according to my ninja way, hahaha," she said, finishing in a half-joking parody-like manner.

“Your ninja way?” Hinata asked, mistaking Ino’s jest for seriousness. She was shocked that Ino had already articulated her own ninja way; like Naruto had!?

However, Mariya just laughed, in on the joking. 

“Ah yes, your ninja way: adopting stray girls into your clique of friends so that you all can stand up for the rights of women through the power of ‘Talk no Jutsu’… Or maybe, ‘Psychic Manipulation no Jutsu’ as befitting of the Yamanaka Kekkei Genkai and heiress,” Mariya said, affectionately poking Ino’s arm.

Ino poked her back, and rolled her eyes, “Oh my God. Can’t you let me live? I just said it because it sounded like something you say when you’re trying to... show your resolve, right?” She winked at Hinata and stuck her tongue out, giggling when the younger girl flushed at her teasing.

Ino seemed to think that Hinata had been playing along with her, but that just made Hinata embarrassed because she had really taken it seriously!

However, it felt like… a good kind of embarrassment.

Because if Ino was winking at her... then she was still enjoying Hinata’s company, right? Her friendship?

“Maybe, Mariya has a point though, haha, because if it were your real ninja way – and not just a joking one - th-then I think that would be a… really _great_ ninja way!” Hinata replied back.

As the three of them all laughed at that, Hinata could not help but admire and be inspired by Ino.

The taller girl really was very beautiful, and took great care of herself; but also managed to be the best ninja that she could be – _while_ helping other girls improve their confidence and gain friends!

Hinata really wanted to know her more, and wanted to be on the same team as her!

~~Perhaps…  more than she had hoped to be with Naruto?~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whenever Ino talks about herself, or her father talks about her, she is conceptualized as a purple bush clover - also their clan's representative flower. So in researching this story (and being into floriography myself), I ended up looking into its meaning. According to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the flower seems to represent melancholy and unrequited love...
> 
> Reference: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/51995  
> "Bush clover (hagi), a popular autumnal symbol, is associated with melancholy and unrequited love. A young woman plucks a branch from the purple-flowering bush. Her black kimono with a tie-dyed paulownia design and obi with a pattern of octagons and squares (shokkō) are covered with a peach-colored outer garment (katsugi). The folds of this garment and the gently curving branches of the hagi bush share the pensive mood. Her maid, holding the katsugi up out of the wet grass, turns away, discreetly avoiding her mistress's pain, a movement that increases the sense of the woman's isolation. 
> 
> A waka poem by the thirteenth-century poet Fujiwara Kinmori appears in the cloud-shaped cartouche above and reads:
> 
> Bush Clover  
> My heart is withered,  
> even dew on the branches of bush clover is futile  
> in the autumn evening."
> 
> ...
> 
> I'm sorry, me and my fucking unrequited InoSakuIno feelings will see ourselves out to cry for the rest of the week; see you all later and take care. I already made myself sad writing 'Forehead Poke' and now I'm just gutted! I need to write some Ino fluff, that poor poor girl... Ugh (*_*)
> 
> Please leave me a comment, kudos, bookmark, or subscription if you found this chapter interesting. Take care ♡


	4. Daffodils & Lilies of the Valley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter switches perspective away from Ino and Hinata, and onto Sasuke instead. I have always liked getting into his head, but I've mostly done so with a much more older and jaded Sasuke. This is my first time writing him as a twelve-year old and I particularly enjoyed doing so :)
> 
> I would be thrilled if you could enjoy this chapter! Please give me lots of feedback on how you liked this shift!

Sasuke couldn’t help it, he snorted aloud; because on his side of the room,  _some_  girls were not reacting so well to the news of this latest step for ‘women’s equality.’

Sakura Haruno, for example, had her hands pressed into tight fists trembling atop of her desk; and had moved up from gritting, to grinding her teeth. She was furious because she _knew_  that the whole reason Ino had even brought up the 2:1 ratio was just so that she would get another chance at Sasuke, like the ungrateful pig she was! Her green eyes burst into flames as her violent Inner-Self began to formulate highly imaginative ways to kill Ino, while Sakura grinned.

Sasuke scowled, and pressed the base of his palms into his eyes. By bringing in more girls, it would be even more likely that he would end up with those annoying, ridiculous,  _fans_ _;_ who would only get in the way.

Although, really, how much more obsessed could they be compared to the delusional one beside him? (Once, Sasuke had seen that on the back of her binder, she had written, 'Ms. Sakura Uchiha,' in pink ink… Yeah. A shining example of a battle-ready kunoichi.)

Ino was so full of _shit_.

Exactly which one of these girls had been 'discouraged' from prioritizing being a ‘good ninja’? It seemed like most of them werejust more  _concerned_ with sending him confession letters, than training and becoming competent. It looked to the youngest Uchiha like they _wanted_ to be bad ninja, all by themselves...

Sasuke thought that there wasn’t anything wrong with the ratio as it stood; even if Ino had somehow managed to be this year's valedictorian, and prove that _some_ (maybe, like, two) girls were competent.

Besides, Ino had only just barely edged out both Sasuke and Shino – pulling ahead just because she was good at ‘reading’ people. Or whatever.

Sasuke had scored far higher grades than Ino in taijutsu, and Shino had beat her out in every endurance test; but her scores in information gathering, strategic planning, and retrieval simulations had... out-classed theirs. Iruka sensei had consistently praised her foresight to chose longer, but less risky routes, to ensure the least amount of civilian injury, while also accounting for how each person in a scenario could be expected to react.

He vaguely remembered having been (just a little) impressed with her on the day that they had learned the Transformation Jutsu. Even though both him and Shino had perfected it first (followed by Naruto, of all people), when Ino had finally managed to grasp it, she took things even further; by successfully impersonating each of the people that she transformed into.

She could morph into Naruto, and execute his cadence and signature ‘dattebayo’ just like him (making the dobe nearly pee his pants in laughter); or morph into Sasuke, mimicking the exact way he narrowed his eyes, and steepled his fingers when he sat...

Suddenly, Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut in abrupt, bright pain, clutching his head in his hands. 

Why did thinking about... _that of all things_ suddenly make his head hurt like hell?

 _At lunch, when Sasuke had asked her how Ino had impersonated them so well, all she had said was, “It's not a trick, or technique, or anything like that, Sasuke,” deliberately saying his name without the usual ‘kun’ honorific she used when she was arguing over him with Sakura, "I just observe people... And when I do, my instinct assigns them a flower... And you know, you can learn a lot about a person through floriography... Well, i_ _f you know what you’re looking for that is.”_

_Ino had then glanced over at a row of yellow daffodils growing outside the school walls, growing pensive as she elaborated, “Each flower has specific ways of reacting to things, conditions that will make them bloom, soils types that will most nourish their growth, behavioral characteristics… It becomes easy for me to understand and mimic people using the paradigms of flowers...”_

_Abruptly, she looked away from the daffodils and ran a few metres forward, Sasuke following her in confusion, until she came across a cluster of Lily of the Valley._

_“Like these beautiful white flowers, with petals that look like bells? They symbolize hoping for a 'return to happiness,' stemming from how people viewing them longed to be the chosen ones to witness their downward pointing petals finally turning upwards," she explained._

_There was no smile on her face, no twirling of her hair; and Sasuke had the feeling that she was being genuine. The flip in her personality was more than a little disconcerting, and he suddenly felt breathless; even though he was physically stronger than her, and they hadn’t run very far to begin with…_

_"You're like the lily of the valley, Sasuke; at least since the past four or five years," Ino declared without a single romantic iota in her voice, "Which is why I can mimic your venomous defensiveness and propensity to dismiss people who only look at your appearances; who want to make you something you're not... Like the girls who think that they can change you into their perfect boyfriend, without understanding the burden of the psychological pain that weighs your petals down…"_

_Sasuke had felt his throat choke on nothing as she spoke so candidly; trying hard to conceal how shaken up he was from the words of this… girl who was just supposed to be another generic fangirl._

_“And it's not you're fault, just like it's not the Lily of the valley's fault that it is poisonous," she continued, paying no heed to his shock; turning on her heel and heading back to class, "But I hope you finally find your return to happiness, and do what that flower never could; lift up your petals... The Lily of the Valley would do good to appreciate the daffodil, Sasuke... Some call it a morbid flower because it means re-birth, or resilience after death, but I think they’re wrong… Sure, people find it hard to confront the fragility of their mortality, the inevitability of death, and are reminded of that when they see daffodils; but there is strength in their resilience at the very beginning of spring, eagerly blooming no matter how bad the winter...”_

Still not using any honorific. 

Holy Fuck.

Sasuke let out a groan, and opened his eyes to  several girls crowding around him and making cooing sounds, whom he shooed away in frustration.

Why was Sasuke getting the feeling that he had somehow repressed that entire memory? What the hell had _happened_? What had Ino done to him? _And just what the hell had she been saying?_

He was jolted out of his thoughts, however, when he spotted Naruto; in an obnoxious orange flash, sprinting out of the room after the Hokage’s retreating form.

And were Sasuke’s eyes failing him along with his damn memory… or were Naruto’s big blue eyes glistening, as if he were crying?

Sasuke knew he should have no business with Naruto. He had scored way lower than all of the boys _and_ girls in their graduating class; and would probably just get in the way during missions just as much as any fangirl. But still, he could not help but feel weird as he saw the blond loose his footing several times on the steps, shoulders shaking with... sobs?

Although it was hard to admit, ~~because more than anything, Sasuke wished that it weren’t the case;~~ Naruto made him feel… something. Though their circumstances were entirely different, they were both orphans; and so few people had empathy for what it was like to live as alone; but watching Naruto, bright and resilient made him feel like there was still something to-,

- **Wait a minute.**

Resilient? Like the… daffodil? The daffodil that the lily of the valley should try to appreciate?

Sasuke glared upwards at where Ino was sitting; but the girl in question was too busy talking to… Hinata Hyuuga? Hinata was conversing with Ino and another girl, nervously pushing her forefingers together, but wearing the most determined expression that Sasuke had ever seen on her round face.

There was definitely something weird going on there, but before he could examine it further, he heard the sound of the classroom door being wrenched open. Sasuke looked back to the front of the room; just in time to see Naruto disappear out the door.

Sasuke gave up on trying to appear casually disinterested in Naruto’s behaviour and threw his hands up. Jolting onto his feet, he darted out of the room too. Just as he rounded the corner, he heard Ino yell, “Do it for the daffodil, Sasuke!”

_What the fuck was that supposed to mean?_

“Have you been giving daffodils to Sasuke-kun?! And how dare you not use any honourifics, Ino-pig!” followed up Sakura.

Sasuke just ran faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I feel like the major critique of this chapter is that Ino is going to be way too OP right from the beginning if she can do things like repress other people's memories without them knowing it, and I agree!!! So I don't think she can freely use that kind of ability just yet. I won't get into it too much now, because it'll be a plot point later on, but I'll say for now that Sasuke is a special case with unique vulnerabilities regarding his memory (courtesy of the canonically OP Itachi Uchiha. Amen) that Ino took advantage of to suppress Sasuke's memory regarding their previous encounters.
> 
> Please stay tuned! I'll explain it all in later chapters!
> 
> Consider leaving me a kudos, bookmark, subscription - or perhaps even a comment (gasp) - if you interest has been piqued! Take care until next time ~


	5. The Sum of Our Parts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone :) In this chapter, I was able to explore some larger, overarching themes, so the perspective shifts in and out of the different characters' voices more than I am used to doing in this story! Please forgive me if there appear to be some inconsistencies or awkward transitions - I will continue to make edits to enhance the flow!
> 
> As well, I am really sorry for the wait! I was suddenly inspired to write a one-shot titled, 'Chapter 700: Ascension of the Legendary Nanadaime Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto! - featuring a Naruto-centric ending to the series (with no over-the-top relationships or shoehorning; just peace, fluff, a hint of revolution in the air, ramen, crude jokes, and logical character progression lol) 
> 
> I'd be delighted if you took a look at it! Links below ~
> 
> But otherwise, please enjoy this extra long chapter! ♡

"Wait!" cried Naruto, sprinting the last few metres to stand before the retreating back of the Third Hokage. He was trembling like a leaf and looked as green as one too. Naruto knew that he had literally  _failed_ the ninjutsu test, so if they were going to bring in a huge shipment of much smarter girls, than  _he_  would probably be the first put back in school...

He struggled to hold back his frustration, but felt his eyes burn hot nonetheless. He did not want to see the look of disappointment on Iruka sensei's face when he had to give back his headband… God, he did not know why it was so difficult for him to control his own chakra; it was like it had a different life of its own. People acted like Naruto never studied his jutsu; but he _did!_ It just wasn’t fair! Nothing was!

The Hokage turned around but did not comment on Naruto’s wrecked image. He had a feeling he knew why the boy was so upset.

Instead, feigning a casual tone, he said, "Do not worry Naruto-kun. Whatever things you have accomplished, you have worked hard for, and they will not be taken away from you… No one, not even  _I_  can take that head-band away from you since Iruka-sensei, a fully capable ninja, has bestowed it upon you… In fact, you should be excited right now! There will be more girls for you to talk to, no?" Noticing Naruto's bewildered expression, he gave him a wink.

Then, with a pat on Naruto's unruly blond head, the Third continued on his journey to his office; excited and ready to re-organize the students.

Well, excited and ready to watch  _other_ people re-organize the students.

He was still Hokage, and could delegate such boring work to the others.

* * *

"Re-organization? Again? But we spent all that time last night and the whole week before on organization," said Kurenai, the newest and only female jounin of the three who initially organized the lists.

"We had those marks averaged out to within two percent! What could have possibly been the problem?" asked Asuma, supporting his colleague's opinion.

(Kakashi was secretly thankful that he might not have to deal with the insufferable Sasuke-Naruto-Sakura dynamic in his assigned team, but nodded anyway.)

Hiruzen Sarutobi tried not to laugh too much as he looked at the three teaching jounin's faces until Iruka cleared his throat, "Yes, normally they would have been perfect, but Hokage-sama has been inspired to change the group dynamics into integrating a higher female concentration into the graduating class and indirectly, into each team… I just contacted five female students who the teaching staff and I probably should have examined to graduate last month, but didn’t because of our… well, because of what was probably our implicit sexist bias… It was humbling when all five of them passed. As a result, they need to be moved into new teams."

Kurenai felt herself unconsciously smile a little at the chuunin’s statement. It was honestly refreshing to be in the presence of a man who could acknowledge and examine his internalized prejudices like that, and make active efforts to change them.

Kakashi simply let out a low whistle.

"So what inspired this, Hokage-sama?" asked Asuma.

"The class topper this year!" cheerfully replied the Third.

The jounin all looked at each other, silently convincing each other to ask question on all of their minds.

Fed up, Kurenai decided to venture, "Do you mean… Uchiha Sasuke inspired you to integrate more girls into the graduating class? How?"

"Actually, this year’s class topper was Ino Yamanaka,” Iruka sensei clarified, simultaneously handing out academic profiles of the five newly-minted kunoichi, “Sasuke-kun did spectacularly well, undoubtedly; and I would venture that he could probably take Ino down in a hand-to-hand combat situation… But as we all know, being a ninja isn’t necessarily about winning battles through brute strength, and Ino showed stronger insight, strategic planning, and leadership potential.”

Kurenai suppressed a laugh at Asuma and Kakashi’s shocked looks.

"Alright then, get to it. I want to hear this discussion!" cried the Hokage, a grin on his face as he pulled out the stack of everyone else’s academic profiles, and smacked the enormous paperwork mountain square on his desk.

Kakashi sighed and closed his book, his scarred eye twitching _._ He thought he could take his little idiots out to a training ground for the bell test and fail them by evening.

That seemed unlikely now.

* * *

"FOR THE LAST TIME, WE CANNOT HAVE KIBA, NARUTO AND CHOUJI ON ONE TEAM! THEY WOULD BE TOO LOUD, OBNOXIOUS, AND GET ABSOLUTELY NOTHING DONE, " shouted Asuma as he pulled at his own dark hair.

Kakashi felt a trickle of sweat run down his forehead as he contemplated the irony of the situation. The blade wielder himself was being loud, obnoxious and his endeavors were proving useless.

"Asuma," he said calmly. "Would you rather we have Naruto, Hinata and Sakura on one team? That poor Hyuuga girl would feel terrible, and she's already such a delicate thing..."

"Well, both of those options are better than having Shino, Shikamaru and Sasuke all together!" insisted Iruka, "That team would be a failure! Nobody would communicate, ever! One of them could just… fall off the face of the Earth and the other two would not care less!"

"Not to mention,  _NONE_ of these teams are academically balanced...hehehe..."

"Hokage-sama, with all due respect, you are not helping!" mumbled Asuma. He huffed and sat back down at his seat.

"The other teams were so much easier to do… You would think that we’d have problems with integrating the new genin girls into teams, but that took no time at all!... Shit. Now we’re back to the same damn dilemma with the same damn nine kids that we had problems sorting the first time we did this!? Why don’t we just leave them in the teams they’re already in? I know that they aren’t perfect but the conflict should give them character, right?" Asuma mused, pulling out a cigarette.

Kurenai raised her head up from where she was resting it on a cool windowsill, saying, “Let’s not pretend that the last time we did this, we didn’t just slap those three teams together in some semblance of an academic balance and generational tradition because we gave up… We have a second chance; so let’s do this right, with consideration for the actual character traits of the people in these teams instead of convenience…”

Iruka rubbed at the scar on his nose and let out a long sigh, “Although including more capable girls in the ninja force is a good and righteous idea in and of itself… when I think back on what exactly made Ino so exceptional throughout her academic career, it's clear that it wasn't just her own merit – like I said, Sasuke or Shino, could easily defeat her in an individual strength or endurance competition – what made her exceptional was her ability to analyze and _work_ the people around her... What I mean is, I wouldn't have put it past her to have already analyzed and simulated how to defeat Sasuke and Shino’s based on their unique psychological weaknesses.”

(-at that thought, Kurenai could not help but become excited. She raised a bandaged hand up to her mouth to cover what was sure to be the enormous grin blossoming across her face. Kurenai was immeasurably excited to hear that a genin already had the diligence to notice such vivid detail; since having that perception is what made or broke ninja’s ability to create and destroy genjutsu afterall! She wanted Ino as a pupil badly-)

“…But more than that,” Iruka continued, reaching out a hand to pull his hairtie out and vigorously rub his hands through his hair, a telling sign of his growing fatigue, “Ino has the ability to bring out the best in her teammates and make the groups she is in… something _greater than the whole of their parts…_ If we can, we need to create teams that become _stronger_ through their holistic existence as a team, not just as working parts… I may be over-stepping my role as just a teaching chuunin here, but coming at this from a purely empirical, mission-completion perspective, it seems like taking the time to plan for group cohesion is how Konoha will maintain itself as a ninja superpower, _not_ by solely prioritizing individual genius talent…”

He looked up through his now messy hair and caught Kakashi’s one black eye, intensely looking at him with uncharacteristic focus. At once, Iruka startled; he hadn’t meant to put down those who had ‘individual genius talent,’ like Kakashi, by saying his thoughts... But also felt like it would be disingenuous to apologize now when he genuinely believed in what he had said.

He momentarily looked off to the side, gathering courage, and then lifted his gaze again to re-meet Kakashi’s eyes, not backing down.

Eventually, Kakashi nodded at him - wearing a strange look.

The jounin knew that whichever team Sasuke was on would be his team according to his promise with the Third... but, if it were up to him, he literally would have rather stabbed himself in the neck than allow that team to be a copy of Team Minato's dynamic with Naruto and Sakura.

(He was fucking _sick_ and _tired_ of unrequited love triangles.)

Though the idea of planning for group cohesion instead of pure academic balance seemed far too idealistic to him... he wasn’t so close-minded as to say that they shouldn’t at least _try_ and make it easier to achieve solidarity.

Asuma just sighed and lit up another cigarette. “Alright, if everyone feels so strongly about it, let’s do this then… Okay, so Kiba-Naru-Cho is out, and so is Naru-Saku-Hina and Sasu-Shika-Shino…”

Iruka crossed the three combinations off of his clipboard. Only 245 more to go...

Kurenai told the secretary to order them take-out.

* * *

As the sun began to inch to the horizon, Asuma, Kurenai and Iruka managed to find fault with another four options while Kakashi observed them all quietly. Eventually the ninjas grew more frustrated and the suggestions they were purporting made less and less sense. Suddenly, Kakashi got up and plucked the marker out of Iruka's hands. He went over to the large bay window behind the Hokage desk and wrote 'Yamanaka, Uchiha and Aburame,’ equidistantly across the tops of the windows.

"We know for a fact," he said, "That these three cannot be in the same team in any way what so ever, since they scored first, second and third respectively, and also – going off of what Iruka sensei and these notes have to say - because they have largely incompatible personalities… It’s clear Sasuke tends to do poorly with girls in general, let alone his admirers. Ino appears to be a part of this group, although we're not sure to what extent, because when Sakura is not around, anyone's apparently only ever seen her look at him with pity... Alternatively, Sasuke is far too self-contained to properly reach out and achieve consensus with someone like Shino, who also has his own issues with not only communication, but being ignored... And I am sure Ino's extroverted, straightforwardness would only exacerbate those tendencies too.”

Kurenai nodded along, “Jutsu-wise, Shino’s bug style seems like they could only conflict with Sasuke’s fire type… And with what he’s been through, I don’t think Sasuke could really be comfortable with Ino's mind based jutsu. As well, Ino and Shino have some of the lowest taijutsu scores, so a team with both of them would be too vulnerable to close-range attacks.”

Iruka looked distressed at the mental image of Shino’s bugs being lit on fire, of Sasuke glaring at Ino when she and Sakura fought over him, and Ino rolling her eyes at Shino for being purposefully cryptic.

He smiled a sheepish smile.

“Their personalities are certainly... vibrant?"

Kakashi looked at him with another unreadable expression, before meeting everyone else’s eyes, and finally smiling; his eye turned into a ‘u.’

“So, why don’t we base the teams around these three’s character strengths and flaws? Let's… consider each other ninja in relation to Sasuke, Shino, and Ino, and take it from there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter featured some progression on how our new teams will look through a team-building perspective; factoring both ninjutsu style and character psychology! I HAD SO MUCH FUN!I LOVE WRITING JUSTIFICATIONS AND RATIONALIZATIONS IN PLOT. If you can imagine (and I'm sure you can) I'm the sort of nerd who loves writing essays and debating people about anything and everything. 
> 
> Please look forward to more team organization in the next chapter! 
> 
> Take care, and thank you so much for coming with me on this ambitious story, lol. Please leave me a kudos, add a bookmark, subscribe, or leave me your thoughts in a comment below!
> 
> Oh! And here's the link to the one-shot I was talking about earlier;  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/18201881


	6. Vulnerable Considerations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! School's out~ I am so excited to be able to spend more time writing this, and all of my other stories! Thank you for being so patient and showing me so much support. I appreciate it so much!
> 
> This chapter includes hints at some new character dynamics, and of course, more team considerations. Please enjoy!

"Naruto, you can never stop being a ninja once you’ve been deemed a ninja,” Sasuke suddenly called, emerging from behind the plant that he was ducking behind to observe Naruto’s interactions with the Hokage, “I know you’re a dobe, but do try to read at least the _beginning_ of the ninja handbook. It’s like… In article two or something.”

Naruto turned on his heel and took a deep breathe to begin yelling back, but then he abruptly stopped and quietly shifted his weight on his foot instead.

“Yeah well… I bet you didn’t even have to read the book. I bet that… someone would've told you that…” he mumbled.

Sasuke folded his arms across his chest and sighed.

Naruto… wasn’t wrong afterall.

It had actually been Itachi who had told him that exact fact; on a day eerily close to the date of the massacre. Sasuke had also read through the ninja handbook, of course, and understood what lifelong ninja status meant theoretically... But he also felt the consequences of what ‘always being a ninja’ meant in a tangible sense.

It was why missing-ninja always struck out their forehead protector’s village insignias once they went rogue. They were trying to display how they were forsaking the village that first made them a ninja; but not even they could go back to a time when they _weren’t ninja at all_.

Sasuke sometimes wondered how Itachi looked these days.

The foreheard protector that he had once told him to cherish; was it now slashed through? The gently smile that he once greeted him with, was it frozen into a scowl?

"Maybe," answered Sasuke, shaking his head and turning back towards the classroom, “But I also know how to read books; even without the furigana.”

“SHUT UP, OK? It’s _normal_ to use furigana when you’re reading hard kanji,” Naruto argued, running forward a few steps, and shoving Sasuke’s shoulder, “Don’t lie!”

Inspite of himself, Sasuke felt a small smile spread across his face at Naruto’s return to normal. It didn’t suit him to be too broody and introspective. Naruto was best suited to being… an early bloom of daffodil on chill, early spring day – blooming bright and inspiring others to bloom in his stead.

Holy hell.

Sasuke felt his face heat up, and hurriedly began coughing to give him a reason to cover his face with his hands.

Wow. He really hoped that his brain would stop supplying him with fucking flower metaphors every time he so much as looked at Naruto.

It definitely wasn’t good for his resolve to toughen up and kill Itachi.

Sasuke valiantly resumed a neutral expression; walking back to the classroom without a backwards glance, ignoring Naruto’s questions about why he was there in the first place; ~~like it wasn’t obvious~~. He sat back in his seat, and folded his arms.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as he too walked over to his ‘current teammates’ table at a slightly slower pace, thinking about how Sasuke had the emotional bi-polarity of a fifty-two year old experiencing her first signs of menopause. One second he would be smirking and joking with Naruto, and the next he would close himself off from everyone else and mumble things like, 'Fucking Weasel,' under his breath.

Just what the hell was Sasuke always thinking about, anyways?

He rolled his eyes and plopped down beside Sakura instead.

"Hey Sakura-chan, what do you think about the- _eh_?" He stared at the girl before him and realized that she was in an angry trance. Naruto raised his hands over his head to protect himself from the eventual onslaught of the punches that usually followed Sakura’s anger, but nothing came?

"Naruto, don’t," called Sasuke, gesturing over for Naruto to come closer to him instead.

Oh, so now he was talking again? Figures. Well, lucky for him, Naruto was curious.

"What is up with Sakura-chan?" he whispered loudly, uselessly cupping his hand around Sasuke's ear, and sitting on his other side. The black-haired boy cringed at his loud volume and wondered why the blond even bothered whispering, if he was going to do it so loudly.

"She's just mad about the team re-organization," Sasuke tonelessly replied.

"I knew Sakura would come around, she can't stand the thought of not being on a team with her hero, Naruto Uzumaki, believe it!" boasted Naruto, standing up to slam his fist on the table for dramatic effect.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes, but his ears perked up when he heard the sound of soft laughter behind him, and glanced up to see Shikamaru grinning at him. (The young Uchiha didn’t think he’d  _ever_ seen the other boy do anything so expressive before, and was too shocked to unpack what the hell that even meant…)

"Uh, what are you staring at Shikamaru for?" Naruto asked suspiciously, following the direction of Sasuke's eyes, "...Do you... want to be on a team with Shikamaru and impress  _him?_ "

Shikamaru bit his lip not to start guffawing, and Sasuke scowled.

"Yeah fucking RIGHT, usuratonkachi!"

.

...And the day dragged on;

Choji ate eyeryone’s lunches when they weren’t looking, Kiba and Akamaru slept curled together, Ino and Hinata did a personality quiz in a civilian magazine Mariya had brought with her, Shikamaru kept amusedly observing the farcical conversation between Sasuke and Naruto, and Sakura fantasized about her life as an Uchiha; having Sasuke-kun, and being his... wife! 

However; 

Not everyone was just passing time. 

Aburame Shino, as a matter of fact, was actually concentrating very hard at the moment - not simply sitting idly at his desk like everyone thought he was.

Unlike the self-obsessed buffoons around him, he was actually trying to figure what was going to happen to them all. He had ordered several of his bugs to slide themselves under the crack beneath the door, through the floorboards, cracks in the window, and along the electric wires of the ceiling lamps. A couple of them had already reached the Hokage's towers and were currently listening in on the teachers’ secret conversation.

* * *

Iruka smiled. "Well then, that is a lot easier. Let's work our way from top to bottom then… Since Ino-chan is the most social of the top scorers, she should have one quiet teammate, for sure."

They all thought for a minute.

"I think… Hinata would satisfy the requirements? And she would undoubtedly benefit both as a ninja and a person if she gained some of the Yamanaka girl's confidence," ventured Kurenai, trying to appear coolly disinterested (though she was actually having an internal dance party at the possibility of having two talented girls on her first ever jounin team).

Iruka nodded in agreement and snapped his fingers, “Moreover, Ino’s jutsu often results in her physical body being put in a very vulnerable state, and since Hinata’s highest scores are in taijutsu, _coupled_ with a Byakugan that could help her detect any incoming threats on her or her vulnerable teammate, I believe that she would be capable of protecting Ino’s body in the middle of any of the Mind Transferance techniques.”

Kurenai had to force herself to not leap up and begin furiously spinning Iruka around in her arms in delight.

With no real arguments against the idea of Ino-Hina, or better ideas for other combinations, Kakashi re-wrote, 'Hyuuga' right underneath, 'Yamanaka.’

Hiruzen laughed, “So we’re breaking up the Ino-Shika-Cho formation this year? That’ll be…interesting! Someone get Shikaku and the rest of their generation in here, I’m going to tell them!”

A chuunin who had been nervously waiting at his righthand went to go retrieve the three mentioned ninjas and the conversation continued.

"Hmm. The only one who ever evokes any emotion out of Sasuke-kun seems to be Naruto-kun," ventured Iruka, pinching the bridge of his scarred nose. "And although, they are a royal pain on some days, they almost have to be together... Additionally, Sasuke is introverted and Naruto is extroverted, so, I guess-"

"-REALLY ARE YOU SURE, I DON'T THINK SO THOUGH?!" interrupted Kakashi, abruptly turning around and placing his hands flat against the windowpane; as though all the other ninja were cornering him armed with poisonous knives instead of pens and ink scrolls. He was halfway to breaking through the glass and jumping off the ledge and had already began sweating.

"That's unlike you Kakashi, are you alright?" asked Asuma, now the calm one.

"Yes, yes, I am... Fine. But, are you sure, you want Sasuke and Naruto together? Aren’t they a recipe for literal disaster?!" the silver-haired man tried again, calmer now but still very close to screaming. He had promised the Hokage that he would be Sasuke’s sensei, no matter what (which he already did not want to think about) and with the exuberant and volatile Naruto on top of that? Of course, he wanted to help his sensei’s son too, but he couldn’t handle him _and_ Sasuke!

Iruka shook his head, considering, “No, you’re right… But Sasuke is also the only person who fully considers Naruto as a person, not just a troubled orphan, and Naruto is the only one who bothers to engage with Sasuke as anything other than the detached persona he’s created for himself…”

The other ninja unanimously voiced their approval, even Hiruzen joining in for good measure.

“Wait! What about… Naruto and Shino?” Kakashi asked.

Everyone in the room took a minute to consider that.

“It’s actually not a bad suggestion,” Iruka agreed, “Naruto’s taijutsu scores are pretty solid and would complement Shino’s ninjutsu and ability to excel in long-range tests.”

However, Kurenai shook his head, “But Shino scored the lowest of the three toppers, and Naruto the lowest of those on the bottom rung, meaning that they would definitely need someone with average scores to raise their ability. Shikamaru, Chouji and Kiba all received low scores, and with Hinata out of the running, the only one with average scores left is Haruno Sakura… And we can’t have Shino-Saku-Naru, because there is the weird NaruSaku dynamic…”

“-And we can’t put Sakura with Sasuke instead, because Sasuke hates fangirls,” Hiruzen said, popping into the conversation to add from where he was currently laughing his head off in the side room (where the shocked expressions the current Ino-Shika-Cho heads were making at the thought of not continuing their tradition were just too funny.)

“Well then… What about putting Sakura with Hinata and Ino and having an all-girls team?” suggested Kakashi, more than a little at his wit’s end.

Kurenai was just about to second Kakashi’s suggestion, but Iruka began shaking his head quite vehemently.

“Ino and Sakura… Honestly, I’m not sure what the hell went on there,” he began in a small voice, “But I do know that in any combat simulations between Ino and Sakura, Ino has always gone way too easy on her… All of their fights end in draws, _even_ when Ino has the upper hand… And I… feel like having Ino and Sakura, plus Hinata, on a team would involve Ino taking on far too much responsibility on her shoulders for the two girls… It’s in her nature to help others, and she has a soft spot for shy girls.”

Kakashi sighed, but did not force the point further.

He realized that having an Ino-Saku dynamic would probably be even more complicated than the NaruHina, SasuSaku, and NaruSaku dynamics that the senseis had collectively vetoed out of consideration. With all of those duos, there were unrequited or unmentionned feelings, which (particularly at this age) could severly impede group functioning..., but with InoSaku, there was a history that made the dynamic _far_ more complex and convoluted.

Their relationship was more than an admiration from afar, or an attraction to a beautiful face – it was a real bond that had been broken. And though Ino may have been mature, Kakashi didn’t think that she could handle having that thrown in her face every day.

Nor did she deserve it... 

Kakashi relented.

Afterall... Yes, Naru-Sasu might have been problematic, but Iruka sensei was not wrong to state that there was also a bond between them that was full of untapped potential that… just maybe could be harnessed.

With an unseen grimace, Kakashi wrote, 'Uzumaki' under 'Uchiha,' and ‘Haruno’ under ‘Aburame.’

Just when he had thought he had escaped too... Damn. He’d have his work fucking cut out for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually had a really interesting experience writing Naruto in this chapter. In the beginning of the canon timeline, he toed an interesting line between being very emotionally aware of his 'deviance' as the Kyuubi, with the loneliness, and pain that it has caused him... but also being kind of unbearable in the way that he processed that by having a meaningless crush on Sakura, and meaninglessly competing with Sasuke. 
> 
> All this is to say that along with my representation of Sakura, you may experience a similar frustration with my treatment of Naruto. Afterall it is hard to reconcile the part of him that is a happy-go-lucky, regular boy with a random crush on a random girl, and the darker side of him that can't stop thinking about seeing himself in Sasuke, his trauma, his loneliness, and his longing for acceptance - and I won't be taking any short cuts. 
> 
> I know that it may be temporarily uncomfortable, but I want this story to be realistic in its treatment of the characters, which means that like what Hinata underwent in chapter 2, there will need to be a 'rude' awakening for Naruto and Sakura to break out of their frustrating or annoying parts, in order to become fully actualized people. 
> 
> Please bear with me!
> 
> And do consider leaving me a kudos, subscribing, or adding a bookmark to this story as support. Take care until next time. ♡


	7. All In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Team organization is completed as of this chapter! 
> 
> Wager your bets for your hypothesized configurations and please enjoy~
> 
> I am so very excited to get the ball rolling!

"Okay, we say that, but at the same time," interjected Asuma, breaking the uneasy silence that followed as everyone looked at the two words, ‘Uchiha,’ and ‘Uzumaki,’ together and tried to hope for the best, "If we are going to run the catastrophic risk of having Naruto and Sasuke, those boys are in dire need of someone level-headed to ground them, offer compromises, and better ways to utilize their talents."

"I agree. They clearly possess astonishing chakra," stated Kurenai. "But I don’t know if we have anyone who could fill that position?... Let alone pulling from the bottom rungs, which are what’s left now.”

Kakashi shook his head at the remaining profiles, “Well… Although Kiba is definitely different from Naruto in a lot of significant ways, he’s also similar to him in terms of personality. I wouldn’t want to deal with two of them yelling at each other about nothing… Or shit-talking together about Sasuke being popular with girls...”

Kurenai raised an eyebrow, “…Is that a thing boys do? Shit-talk other more popular boys?”

Iruka gave her the sheepish smile of a man who had only walked past _too many_ groups of boys alienating whichever poor unfortunate boy that the girls had decided was 'ikemen,' and congregated around. “You’d be surprised, Kurenai-san…”

Kakashi leaned back against the wall, spinning the marker around between his fingers and sighing, “Somehow I just don’t think Chouji would really make any difference in controlling Naruto and Sasuke either… I mean, no influence is better than a bad influence, so maybe he could… emotionally…. Temper them? He’s not a particularly strategic planner, nor particularly motivated – although I can see why he wouldn’t have needed to develop those skills considering how his childhood friends Ino and Shikamaru are respectively very pro-active, and very strategic-,”

Asuma snapped his fingers together, "Then, it’s gotta be Shikamaru, right?”

Iruka, Kurenai and Kakashi, however, all looked unconvinced.

“I guess,” Iruka started, “But don’t you think he’d get... absolutely bulldozed over by Naruto and Sasuke?”

Asuma shook his head, “Okay, so, even though his marks don't show it, we know that he is strategic and can organize and plan well… Perhaps he could be inspired to think of how Naruto and Sasuke’s insane potential could be optimized during missions like a chess game of some sort – like with one super-powered bishop, and another super-powered rook, against enemies... typified in whatever way Shikamaru can think of depending on those ninjas' jutsu…”

Kakashi looked amused, mumbling, “Is Naruto the rook?” under his breathe while Asuma continued his rambling.

“-And… For what it’s worth, I played shogi with him and his dad once and…  lost pathetically."

"Are you sure, that's not just because you are terrible at strategics?" Kurenai asked with a sweet smile, but it was teasing; though Asuma was not particularly elegant at speaking, she could understand what he meant, and found herself agreeing.

Shika-Naru-Sasu wasn't a bad idea at all. 

"No way, I meant-" Asuma spluttered. 

Kakashi rolled his eyes. 

"Calm down, Asuma-san! Kurenai-san!” interrupted Iruka, not particularly in the mood to see the two flirt. “Unless you have a _real_ contradiction, Kurenai-san, which I’m guessing you don’t… I’m going to go ahead and second Asuma-san’s suggestion… Shikamaru is not the type to be easily impressed, or threatened by someone like Sasuke, which I think could prove valuable, and he is probably one of the students who judged Naruto the least this year, which is also significant…”

With an upturned 'u' eye, Kakashi completed his team, Team 7, by writing, 'Nara,' under 'Uzumaki.'

Thank God! There would be no more awkward love triangle! (Well, at least he hoped there would be no more awkward love triangle… there might still be, since the sexual orientation of Sasuke was… _suspect._ Afterall, even if he was on the path of vengeance, surely a heterosexual teenager could find the time to at least flirt back with the girls so blatantly asking him to take them now?)

"Okay. Good. Now it's just finishing Ino and Shino's teams," Kurenai said. 

"Okay so, for Shino... He's a little indifferent like Sasuke, but more in the sense that nobody really pays him any attention, so he does not _bother_ caring either... Sasuke feels as though all of the female attention is a distraction," continued Iruka, trying to think back to anytime when anyone really asked for the impassive bug user's opinions.

Kakashi put his feet up, now completely at ease with his team, “Yeah... We decided Sakura would be with him, right?"

Asuma raised an eyebrow, glancing at the window of names, "I guess we did... But what was the rationale for that again?”

The teachers looked at one another.

~~...There hadn't been any rationale.~~

“Uhm. With a girl like Sakura on his team..." tried Iruka, "Who’s less proactive than Ino but more so than Hinata; she would ask him for his opinions, but probably not as aggressively as Ino… have her own too, unlike Hinata who has a tendency to simply give in to avoid conflict…Or so I imagine."

Now it was Iruka's turn to ramble, wracking his head to typify Sakura – but failing.

Kakashi sighed, "...We really just put Sakura with Shino because of the conflict that would arise with her on any other team.”

It was an unsettling thought.

Asuma lit up a cigarette, “Anyone else getting the feeling that Sakura doesn’t appear to have any consistent traits or personality?” he blurted out. 

Kurenai scoffed, “That can’t possibly be true. Clearly, we’re missing something.”

Asuma shrugged, “Well, what’s her personality like then? Is she shy? Confident? Capable? Lacking? Or kind of everything - but sporadically?”

Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose and thought hard. 

Sakura was smart, that was obvious - with a near-eidetic memory and excellent memory retention for all the theoretical components of chakra-control and ninja-protocol; and yet... she lacked any fortitude in her actual execution. Moreover, it felt like there was something about her personality - a sort of performative shallowness in her goals and character that made it hard to understand what sort of person she really was. Iruka knew that pre-teen years tended to be conflicted times, but he felt it unusually difficult to truly argue what Sakura was; because as it was, she was a blank-slate; existing somewhere in the middle, in the average, but with nothing _quite_ there to orient her in any which way. (If felt like some... floating spiritual entity from a faraway world could probably just… _insert themselves_ into her body, and people would not even realize it.)

At the same time though, the tabula rasa nature of her current self made their decision of where to place Sakura all the more important – for it would probably have tremendous outcomes for her career as a ninja, and indeed, a person.

"I don't... _know_ ," Iruka said; voice frustrated enough to startle everyone in the room and cause Hiruzen to offer him some water, which he gratefully gulped down.

The three jounin looked at each other, and silently decided that they would try and find good reasons to justify Shino-Sakura because it looked like Iruka-sensei may just begin to disintegrate from the stress of being unable to describe his own student.

“Uh,” started Asuma, scratching the back of his neck in self-admitted awkwardness, “Although I don’t think I have ever clearly seen Shino’s face... even if he _was_ really good-looking, I think his less 'cool,' more strange demeanour would ensure that Sakura would not obsess over him...And cloud her judgement as it might have with Sasuke…”

“I think,” added Kurenai, “Shino would also be straightforward with her; not cruelly, like Sasuke, who has a tendency to view things in very deterministic perspectives, or Ino, who would only want to protect her. I actually think, that with the proper jonin, those two would make good team members."

“Moreover, if Sakura’s chakra control is so good, that makes her more of an all-rounder,” Kakashi added, “And someone like her would make sense to work with a specialist like Shino.”

Iruka gave them all a forced smile. 

"I’d say we’re right~ Relax! So now for the last two," Kakashi said convincingly, grinning under his mask and patting Iruka's shoulders. They were finally almost finished! "Kiba and Choji."

"I don't think we should make Choji be with the two girls," said Iruka immediately, taking a breathe, "I think they might start caring for each other too much... Choji likes to take it too easy and would be too agreeable, and chivalrous; so Hinata would get too comfortable and complacent with him, and Ino would not allow anyone to take any risks if she felt that they were her responsibility. That’s the dynamic Ino and Chouji already have, afterall."

"However with the other group," added Asuma, "The others could learn more from his kindness and he would be forced into a much more active role... Choji has a tendency to let himself be taken care of, but I think with Shino's individualism, and Sakura's malleablity, he might be encouraged to step up. In fact, they all would... This team could probably be the closest thing to a group of equals, with no distinct emerging leader."

"So Kiba with the two girls?" concluded Kakashi, moving over to that grouping, “I’d imagine that Kiba would not bend to Ino’s will so demurely, and put up a good fight if she made a flawed call… Also, well, I know this since Pakkun and the dogs are always hanging around the Inuzuka’s, Kiba’s pretty used to dealing with… confident women.”

Kurenai snorted.

“Actually, Kiba’s actually kind of an all-rounder too,” Iruka said, “He has good taijutsu and in-fighting skills, but his advanced senses make him good at long-range fighting… He could do with someone like Hinata too, to make him slow down and avoid clumsy mistakes. She’s one of the most consistent with chakra expenditure, and Kiba always goes too hard too soon. Also, Kiba has a more positive outlook, Hinata is prone to having worrying thoughts, and Ino is pragmatic... Good balance of outlooks.”

After the affirmation, Kakashi quickly filled in the two remaining spots.

The Hokage almost pouted. He wanted more entertainment, but he could not very well say that. Instead he said, "Good job everyone. Iruka-sensei, please go inform the genin of their new teams."

Avoiding a whole bunch of angry parents in the lobby who had expected their kids home at five, Iruka rushed into the rooms and made the announcement regarding the new teams.

* * *

The class _exploded_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hardest part of this chapter was finding a way to articulate my views on Sakura as a character. In canon, she didnt really have any distinguishing or defining characteristics or motivations that would have allowed her to grow on her own. Like what are her values? Kindness? Loyalty? Or is it dependent on who she's with? Then how do we benchmark her development? I know Kishimoto said he wrote Sakura based on his image of an average realistic girl, but come on... She's too average. Though I guess that is what makes her so appealing for self-insert fics, or Naruto re-writes. It's very easy to change her to suit your purposes! I'll try to develop her as realistically as possible herein too. (Pray for Katie)
> 
> Thank you so much for your support, it means so much to me! Be sure to subscribe, give kudos, and bookmark to support and stay in the loop.


	8. Take It From The Top

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here are some of the reactions of our new teams at hearing the news of their reassignments!
> 
> Also; why don't people write more Shino and Chouji, their voices are so fun, lol.
> 
> Please enjoy!

Sasuke fought to hide a huge grin, ending up covering his mouth with his hand when he simply could not hold it back anymore. He turned to face the window and began laughing softly.

Somehow, he had managed to avoid  _all_ the fangirls. Every single one! Even though the room was full of more girls than before!

He almost wanted to pull a Naruto and scream, "BELEIVE IT!" in to the air and he probably could have because absolutely  _no-one_ was paying the littlest Uchiha any attention at the moment; everyone was screaming and jumping around in absolute chaos, someone even threw a few smoke bombs into the air, while another guy randomly jumped onto his desk and just started screaming wordlessly.

Sure, Sasuke’s team was probably objectively only about as capable as the previous arrangement of his team was, but he could actually bare the other boys on his team, and his mind wouldn’t stop racing with the possibilities of them all working together.

Of course, Naruto... was Naruto, and although Sasuke wasn’t entirely sure what the hell that meant to him anymore – no thanks to Ino and her fucking _floriography_ – Sasuke knew that they were probably the only two people who understood each other on any level that mattered. Or maybe any level at all. They tore into each other like they hated each other at times, but Sasuke wasn’t so unperceptive as not to realize that for people like them that was one of the few ways they knew how to open up to anyone at all.

And realistically, Naruto was creative and determined. Although that didn’t usually pay off the best in one-to-one fights in a controlled school environment, Sasuke had seen him get away with some pretty exceptional sabotage when the blond could be compelled to focus and strategize.

And _speaking_ of strategies;

Sasuke – and probably everyone else who had two eyes that weren’t focused on dumbass shit like dating - had noticed that Shikamaru was an _excellent_ strategist; always finding the easiest and most effective way to problem-solve. Shikamaru was like Naruto in the sense that he didn’t apply himself consistently; less so because he was erratic and unfocused however, and moreso because he didn’t appear to really care to improve himself.

So if the Nara clan member could be persuaded to work a little, he might actually be useful...

Sasuke looked back up at the lazy boy whose face had resumed its normal, mildly-annoyed expression. Catching his gaze, Shikamaru rolled his eyes and put on an affected lazy voice, “Oh no; such a heated glare, I think I’m gonna burn…”

Naruto sighed.

“Oh yeah I’ll burn you alright,” Sasuke snapped back, sneering a little and turning more fully in his seat to face Shikamaru head-on. The other bow looked a little frazzled that his teasing of Sasuke didn’t procure the same effect on him as it had last time when Naruto insinuated that Sasuke wanted to actually work with him. Then, he had seemed irate; now, he looked focused, and daresay even excited,  leaning in to Shikamaru's space. “I'll light you aflame if that’s what it will take you to get your shit together and apply yourself….”

Shikamaru frowned, and looked away, mumbling a curse under his breathe. He was not looking forward to working with Sasuke and Naruto; he had the distinct feeling that their aggressive personalities were going to completely crush him. Which fucking jounin thought that placing him with Sasuke and Naruto was a good idea? Was Shikamaru supposed to temper them? Could they even be tempered?

Naruto slammed his hand on the desk behind him to grab the two boys’ attention with a frustrated cry, “Holy shit! What’s wrong with you two?! I WAS JUST JOKING WHEN I ASKED SASUKE IF HE WANTED TO BE ON A TEAM WITH SHIKAMARU, and now it's actually happening!? I literally cannot believe my luck! Not only have I been separated from Sakura-chan, but there aren’t even any other girls in my team for me to win over either! Instead we’re a complete sausage fest! Oh my God…”

Sasuke had the gall to stare at Naruto wearing his most handsome smile.

Wait. Handsome? More like ugly. His ugliest smile.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. 

The Uchiha boy scoffed and leaned back in his seat, looking between Naruto and Shikamaru in turn before tucking his hands behind his head and crossing his legs in what had to be the most relaxed pose anyone had ever seen Sasuke wear.

“We’ll be okay, Naruto,” he said in a scarily pleasant tone.

Naruto and Shikamaru both shot each other confused looks.

Shikamaru reached into his bag to pull out an extra soft sweater to lay on the desk before him and just… sleep until this nightmare situation cleared up and he was paired with Ino and Choji; as had been promised to him for literally his entire life, and Naruto moved further down the bench, far away from Sasuke, occasionally looking up at his teammate and wondering what he looked so damn _pleased_ about.

* * *

 And on the far end of the bench, Sakura was pissed _off_. She wanted to... scream at the top of her lungs and throw her stationary up in the air! How the hell had Ino's plan actually worked?! God, she shouldn't have underestimated her old friend's devious tactics; she had always been good with words and manipulations... Now, how the hell was Sakura supposed to get Sasuke to profess his well-hidden but undying love for her? And who the hell was she paired up with now? The fat kid, and the boy who spoke even less than Sasuke-kun? Seriously!? Her life sucked! The only good thing about this was that Ino and no other girl got to be on his team either! So at least, everyone had an equal playing field.

She saw Naruto awkwardly moving away from Sasuke and smacked him upside the head because  _he was somehow_ still was on Sasuke-kun's team, and he stole his first kiss and just because he was an idiot; then she collected her things and headed over to her new teammates. She initially stepped forward in Shino's direction seeing as he was seated closer, but upon seeing his creepily vacant expression, decided against it - heading towards Chouji instead.

The Akimichi boy was a bit upset at the newly re-organized teams because he was looking forward to performing the Ino-Shika-Cho formations like their fathers had, but he wanted to look at the bright side, so he did. These new teams would be a cool new way to make alliances with other people and other clans, and hopefully, even some friends. Shikamaru and him and Ino would always be family, and always work well together, so he took this as an opportunity to make them and their fathers proud. Munching on chips and humming to himself as he wondered how his dad and his uncles would react to the news, he was so pre-occupied that he did not notice the pretty pink-haired girl standing in front of him.

"Hi..." said Sakura, growing tired of seeing no response to her waving, "I am Sakura, and you're Choji, right."

"Yeah, I'm Choji," he said around mouthfuls of delicious fried potato, "You're new teammate." He was kind of nervous around the green-eyed girl. He had never spoken to her, but knew that she had insecurity issues in her childhood too, so he figured she could not be all that bad. He also remembered that Ino and her used to be friends, and Ino’s friends were usually nicer to him than most other girls.

He slowed his chewing for a bit.

"Would you like a chip?" he asked. 

"Well, you see I'm on a diet..." started Sakura, but she quickly back-tracked once she saw his expression. Those chips must have been really important to this guy for some unknown reason, because his face had the look of someone who was beseechingly asking someone to take care of their first born child or something; so she did not want to come off as rude, "But what harm could one chip, do right?"

She extended her hand into the bag and gingerly retrieved one chip. Oddly aware of Choji's eyes following her every movement, she plopped the chip into her mouth and chewed.

Sasuke might even like girls with nice curves, who knew?

Choji's expression remained loaded. Sakura had almost rejected the chip, but she ended up taking it. She was probably a mildly superficial girl, but one who tried to care about other's feelings; awkwardly ending up hurting them anyway sometimes...

Choji continued munching but patted the seat beside him. He was never one to judge anyhow, he would give her the chance to prove her true character. Just as she was about to take the offered seat, a sudden flash passed by them and Shino sat in Chouji’s proferred seat instead.

"Um, excuse me?" asked Sakura, placing one hand on her hip. "That seat was for me."

"..."

"You should move."

"..."

"Are you deaf or something?"

"Come on Shino, I did offer her the seat, come take mine instead!"

"..."

"I will push you!"

"Sakura-chan, maybe you should just sit beside me on this side. Shino looks kind of out of it! We… don't want to cause a scene."

Sakura face palmed. If he were Naruto, she would actually physically move him, but he was technically the top scorer in their group, so it would not do to try and pick a fight with him.

She sighed and was just about to walk over to Choji's other side when she felt an arm grab the back of her tunic and pull her down.

"Hey! What the he-" Shino cut her off by pressing a finger to her lips as his eyebrows scrunched together in what looked like concentration. He pulled Choji in close too and began whispering to his fellow teammates, “Our teacher is Asuma Sarutobi. The three boys have Kakashi Hatake and the team with two girls have Kurenai Yuuhi.” Choji and Sakura shared a look ー wondering how on Earth he knew that.

But it seemed as though this guy already knew their questions.

"How do I know this? I am an Aburame and therefore can use my bugs to scout for information that I interpret."

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and Choji momentarily paused his snacking. This guy was weird and the way he spoke was even weirder.

"Still, it was not very friendly of you to just take my seat like that," said Sakura, turning to glare into where Shino’s eyes  _should_ have been.

Shino did not really know what to say. Nobody had ever called him out on his behaviour like that, most people just ignored him or nodded blankly; wanting to limit the amount of time they had to spend around the strange bug-user by just going along at his pace.

"Apologies..." he mumbled out.

Sakura nodded, "That's alright." Choji clapped him affectionately on the back and held out the bag of chips. Shino, placed in yet another new social situation, simply took the bag out of his hands and began eating the chips. Choji and Sakura both raised their eyebrows at the unexpectedly earnest action.

Choji let him eat a good many, but hastily retrieved the bag when the chip count got dangerously close to one.

"So Shino-kun, what do you like to do in your free time?" asked Sakura. Even though she was still a little shaken by him, she couldn’t help but be curious about the strange dimensions of Shino’s mysterious nature. He was different, but unapologetically so, and his voice was low and calm. He seemed comfortable with himself, something Sakura always valued.

"I like to name my bugs," he replied sagely.

Chouji nearly choked on a chip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy fluff. After the moderately intense psycho-analysis and character deconstruction I tried to undertake in the last chapters, this one was a breath of fresh air. I'm looking forward to pursuing both the serious and humorous elements of this story further. 
> 
> Please look forward to next chapter centered around our two leads : ) In this kind of story, there will be a lot of back and forth because the whole story is an all-cast, holistic story, and so I won't spend the entire fic centered just on the leads, but they will be the drivers of large elements to do with the central plot, so I always look forward to developing them here!
> 
> Take care ~


End file.
